“I believe that you’ve got been good from the primary day in Maranello till right this moment.”
Lewis Hamilton will not be solely feeling the adulation of the Tifosi in addition to his new group at Ferrari, but in addition the Italian press seems to be loving his arrival. Up to now, the curiosity and pleasure has been huge, however it has all been primarily based on operating in earlier vehicles, or an look in his overalls on the O2 Area final evening.
Wednesday was an enormous milestone within the early a part of Hamilton’s newest chapter, as he drove what will likely be his first Ferrari — the SF-25 — throughout a shakedown on the group’s Fiorano check observe.
Whereas Charles Leclerc was the driving force getting requested in regards to the modifications to the automobile and the preliminary feeling — one which he stated was optimistic as nothing unfavourable stood out — Hamilton was talking extensively for the primary time about his transfer and what it has executed for his motivation and outlook, with one very clear purpose in thoughts.
“To me, it’s the primary — profitable the championship for Ferrari is the primary,” Hamilton stated. “That’s what I’m working in the direction of.
“I don’t take into consideration the quantity eight. I’m serious about the primary championship that the group has received for a while. However they’ve already had many, many world championships over their historical past. So, for me, it’s on the lookout for that first one with the group. And the way can I contribute to that? How can I assist them obtain that?”
However the quantity eight is not possible to disregard given how it could transfer him one away from Michael Schumacher to face alone because the most-crowned driver in Method 1 historical past, and he’s making an attempt to do it with the group Schumacher turned synonymous with.
After six weeks at Ferrari, and after talking to him twice this week, it looks like Hamilton’s personal perception has solely grown, and he admits he’s extra optimistic than ever of profitable that eighth title.
“Sure [I’m more hopeful]. Sure, however I’m additionally conscious… there’s loads of drivers that by no means ever get to win a world championship, at the beginning. I’ve been lucky to work in two groups beforehand, work with nice organizations.
“You’ve seen within the historical past of the game, the place you’ve obtained nice groups and issues don’t align they usually find yourself, a few of them not profitable world championships. However this group already has an insane legacy. They’re not in need of what number of world championships they’ve received. So I believe of their DNA, they’ve that profitable mentality.
“The competitors is fierce and also you’ve had nice outcomes from different iconic groups. McLaren now, Pink Bull and clearly Mercedes. It’s going to be shut on the prime. However I’ve obtained an incredible teammate. The power that I’m receiving from the group, there’s magic right here.
“It’s going to nonetheless take loads of onerous work and grafting from completely everybody, and everybody’s placing that in already to realize it. However it’s additionally about perception. Everybody right here goals of profitable with Ferrari — each single particular person on this group.”
The way it feels to race alongside @LewisHamilton 😎 pic.twitter.com/JCp5B4tja9
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 19, 2025
Carrying the exact same dream, Leclerc emphasised how impressed he has been with Ferrari’s skill to stay targeted and constant in its work regardless of the “craziness” he can see surrounding it. Hamilton’s arrival arguably exceeds the hype that got here with two different a number of world champions making the identical transfer within the type of Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, however their achievements are one thing the 40-year-old is eager to salute, with Alonso profitable on his debut for Ferrari and Vettel taking victory in his second race.
“These guys did a tremendous job,” Hamilton stated. “I’ve large respect for these two drivers and having joined groups earlier than, the step it takes and the quantity of labor that goes on to acclimatizing is extraordinary and so it makes these outcomes that that they had much more distinctive than even I had appreciated earlier than.
“What I do know is that the testing is extra restricted than ever earlier than however happily, I’ve had an excellent little bit of time within the automobile. I’m nonetheless acclimatizing. It took me six months, I believe, in Mercedes to get my first win. Truthfully, I don’t know however I’m doing every part I can to be prepared for race one.”
Testing of earlier automobile (TPC) outings have helped Hamilton put together and are an indication of how dedicated he’s to making an attempt to win with Ferrari. Testing has hardly ever been one among his favourite pastimes, however he has embraced it this time round as a result of he says his new dwelling requires a fair greater effort than he’s ever requested of himself earlier than.
“It’s given me much more appreciation, as I’ve talked about, about Sebastian and Fernando becoming a member of right here,” he stated. “I’ve watched through the years, drivers shifting round — some shifting round much more than others — and I understand how lengthy it takes to construct belief and develop inside a group and develop with folks, as I’ve skilled that with Mercedes, I’ve skilled that with McLaren. I actually cherish the longevity that I had inside these locations and the bonds that we created in that point. And so they don’t occur in a single day.
“However this step is big. It couldn’t be any greater. The group is very large. The fervour provides to it — from the followers, from the Tifosi, from the folks inside — to that need to wish to win. And also you don’t wish to let folks down. You need to have the ability to ship in your phrase.
Lewis and the tifosi 🤝 pic.twitter.com/z3tmwqHPAr
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 19, 2025
“How I made a decision to return into this yr, my decision, my mentality, is I must elevate in completely each space on my facet. It’s not simply, ‘That is who I’m and I’ve simply obtained to jel in.’ I’ve obtained to raise in each single [area]: My health, my time administration, how I interact with my engineers, how a lot time I spend within the manufacturing unit, all these various things. I’ve undoubtedly executed that and I’m doing that and I’ll proceed to do this on this try for perfection and to realize the success that I’m aiming to realize.
“However it’s loads of work, I’ve to say. The entire new tradition, totally different language, all the brand new manufacturers that I’m attending to work with — day-after-day is new, I’m experiencing one thing new, which truly is admittedly thrilling.
“And within the quick house of time, it’s actually not a very long time from the day you be part of the group to the primary race. Possibly for you [media] guys, you’re feeling it’s drawn out, however it’s not — it’s very quick and there’s no shortcuts that you could take. And we’re not taking it, we’re simply placing the work in and we’re grafting.”
The Italian journalist who had informed Hamilton he had been good thus far needed one phrase from him to sum up his expertise and emotions to this point.
“Emozionante,” was the one the seven-time world champion selected. As soon as once more, it’s onerous to say that’s something however the good match.
“We all know we’ve an enormous quantity of labor to do. I do know that I have an enormous quantity of labor to do. I’m nonetheless acclimatizing — I’ve solely been right here a month, or simply over a month, so I’m nonetheless acclimatizing to a very new automobile, a very new approach of working, however everybody’s bent over backwards on this group to make me really feel welcome. And I actually really feel at dwelling.
“I do know I’m precisely the place I’m presupposed to be. It feels pure. It feels proper.”
